Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Irish-bred Gold Phoenix successfully defended his title in the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Handicap presented by the Japan Racing Association on Saturday at Del Mar, rallying from 14 lengths off the pace under Juan Hernandez to win by 1 1/4 lengths as the 5-2 favorite.

Nineeleventurbo won a three-horse photo finish for second, a nose in front of Cash Equity, with Missed the Cut another nose back in fourth. They were followed by Planetario, Cathkin Peak, Offlee Naughty, None Above the Law, Win the Day, pacesetter Crosby Beach, and Azul Coast.

Gold Phoenix, who won the G2 Eddie Read at the seaside track on July 30, covered 1 3/8 miles in 2:15.34 and paid $7.00 to win. He also secured a fees-paid berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf as part of the Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series.

A 5-year-old gelding by Belardo, Gold Phoenix is trained by Phil D'Amato for Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify.

Breaking from the 10 post in the three-turn race, Gold Phoenix settled well off the pace as  longshot Crosby Beach showed the way under Geovanni Franco, setting moderate fractions of :24.60, :48.74, 1:13.80, and 1:39.28. Hernandez moved Gold Phoenix into contention rounding the far turn and swung wide into the stretch as Nineeleventurbo took over from the pacesetter. Gold Phoenix had three horses to beat at the furlong pole and moved to the front to win comfortably.

“Plan A was to save ground,” said Hernandez, Del Mar's leading rider. “My horse relaxed really well today and was so patient. This time I go outside because I had a lot of horses in front of me. So I say I want to swing out and see if I can find something. If not I can go back inside. But I was able to find some space to come through, and after that he flew for home. He is getting better every race. Last time he was a little closer and he was able to keep up that space and able to win that race. I just have to wait and he loved the distance.”

“He was loaded and looked like he had the perfect split,” said D'Amato, who is in a tight race for leading trainer with Bob Baffert and Doug O'Neill. “I just love how confident Juan (Hernandez) rode him. Did a great job. Juan and I have had good luck over the years. I haven't used him much at the meet but I used him at the right time.”

After winning last year's Del Mar Handicap, Gold Phoenix wound up 10th behind winner Rebel's Romance in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland. Saturday's victory was his sixth in 15 lifetime starts.

 

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Going straight to the front at the start under Flavien Prat, Zedan Racing Stables' Arabian Knight set all the fractions and held off a late charge from Geaux Rocket Ride to win the 33rd running of the Grade 1, $1-million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Saturday.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Arabian Knight ran the 1 1/4 miles on a fast track in 2:03.19 after setting fractions of :23.35, :46.60, 1:11.42 and 1:36.84. He paid $6.20 to win as the favorite.

Geaux Rocket Ride, who defeated Arabian Knight when they met last out in the G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park July 22, finished second, Slow Down Andy third, and Senor Buscador fourth in the field of 10. The first two finishers, along with Skinner, were 3-year-olds who carried 118 pounds. Older horses toted 124.

The Pacific Classis is a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series race, giving the winner an automatic fees-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic to be run at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

A son of Uncle Mo out of the Astrology mare, Borealis Night, Arabian Knight was making just his fourth career start in the Pacific Classic. Bred in Kentucky by Corser Thoroughbreds, Arabian Knight was first sold for $250,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Terrazas Thoroughbreds consignment. Top Line Sales then consigned Arabian Knight at the OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training, where Zedan Racing paid $2.3 million to acquire him.

Arabian Knight debuted on Breeders' Cup day at Keeneland last Nov. 5, winning a seven-furlong maiden race by 7 1/4 lengths and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 97. He didn't surface again until Jan. 28 at Oaklawn Park, going wire to wire on a sloppy track to win the G3 Southwest Stakes by 5 1/2 lengths.

The colt had some setbacks that kept him off the Triple Crown trail, but when he returned for the Haskell he was well backed as the 11-10 favorite. He showed speed that day, setting all the pace before Geaux Rocket Ride ran him down to win by 1 3/4 lengths.

The victory was the seventh in the Pacific Classic for Hall of Famer Baffert, putting him one ahead of the late Robert Frankel as the winningest trainer in the race's history. This was Prat's third Pacific Classic win, including last year's victor, Flightline.

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With jockey Geovanni Franco subbing for injured Umberto Rispoli, Antonio Fanticola's Motorious won a cavalry charge in the stretch run of the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday.

The five-furlong turf dash is a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series race, giving the winner a fees-paid berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. This year's Breeders' Cup championships will be held at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4.

Sent off the 5-2 favorite in a field of 12 speedsters, Motorious – a 5-year-old gelding by Muhaarar bred in England – scored by 1 3/4 lengths and covered five furlongs on firm turf in :56.07. Cherubic Factor finished second, a nose ahead of Beer Can Man in third, and Turn on the Jets a half length back in fourth.

Phil D'Amato trains Motorious, along with the third- and fourth-place finishers. Motorious paid $7.20 to win.

Helladic, breaking from the outside post, set early fractions of :21.74 and :44.70 under pressure from Bus Buzz and Fast Buck. Franco had Motorious behind the early leaders, then swung wide into the stretch to launch his winning rally.

The win was the fourth in eight U.S. starts for Motorious, who began his racing career in England. His only previous graded stakes win came in the G3 San Simeon at Santa Anita in March. Motorious finished second behind Nobals in his most recent outing, the G2 TwinSpires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 6.

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